The ring, which he put upon her finger, he had
concealed till the moment it was used. He now produced it with an
air of self-complacency. It was a curious antique, set with rose
diamonds: he told us afterwards, it had been in the family two
hundred years and was a present from his grand-mother. These
circumstances agreeably flattered the pride of our aunt Tabitha,
which had already found uncommon gratification in the captain's
generosity; for he had, in the morning, presented my uncle with a
fine bear's skin, and a Spanish fowling-piece, and me with a case
of pistols curiously mounted with silver. At the same time he
gave Mrs Jenkins an Indian purse, made of silk grass, containing
twenty crown pieces. You must know, this young lady, with the
assistance of Mr Loyd, formed the third couple who yesterday
sacrificed to Hymen. I wrote to you in my last, that he had
recourse to my mediation, which I employed successfully with my
uncle; but Mrs Tabitha held out 'till the love-sick Jenkins had
two fits of the mother; then she relented, and those two cooing
turtles were caged for life -- Our aunt made an effort of
generosity in furnishing the bride with her superfluities of
clothes and linen, and her example was followed by my sister;
nor did Mr Bramble and I neglect her on this occasion.
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